Story: written by Myra October 31,2025
Former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, has stated that former President Goodluck Jonathan cannot legally contest for the presidency in 2027, citing clear constitutional restrictions.

According to Salami, the 1999 Constitution bars anyone from holding the office of President for more than eight years in total. He said that since Jonathan had already completed the remainder of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s tenure before winning a full term of his own in 2011, he has exhausted his constitutional limit.

In a legal commentary, Salami emphasized that any fresh attempt by Jonathan to seek the presidency would amount to a breach of the Constitution and render any potential victory invalid.

He argued that the courts would have no option but to nullify such an election, as it would violate the constitutional provision that prevents anyone from serving more than two terms, whether consecutive or not.

Salami wrote:

“It has been carefully and dispassionately established that the ambition of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to contest for the presidency again in the 2027 general election is constitutionally extinguished. Any such move would stand on no legal ground.”

The former jurist concluded that the constitutional term-limit clause remains clear and binding, and no interpretation can lawfully extend Jonathan’s eligibility beyond what he has already served.